Attendees from as far as Hawaii and Japan walked the aisles at the MEC during the weekend, which was filled with everything from the latest technology to top of the line education to the highly anticipated appearance of automotive icon Chip Foose, who signed anything and everything for attendees for over five hours. No one walked away disappointed as AASP/NJ enjoyed its greatest NORTHEAST show ever.
“Totally, overjoyed, overwhelmed, over-everything.” AASP/NJ President Jeff McDowell said with a huge smile. “We had high expectations for this year’s show, but the reality was greater than we could have imagined. It was an incredible experience, one of the highlights of my 40 years in the industry.”
McDowell wasn’t alone in his praise of the show. “We look at the NORTHEAST show as the foundation of the auto body industry,” noted Roy Griep, Regional Sales Manager for NORTHEAST Platinum Show Sponsor BASF. “[At the show], we have the ability to see all of our customers [and] we get new ones coming in. It’s a great opportunity to show our wares.”
“This is our home,” added Guido Pippa of longtime show supporter Accudraft. “This is our hub. It’s the perfect place to show our products in a shop-free environment. People from all areas of the industry are here. It just keeps getting better every year.”
One of the show’s most exciting moments came with Ford’s introduction of the all-new F-150, truck which included seminars and a 40- by 50-foot display that showcased an actual shell of the new all-aluminum vehicle. “This year, we had so many booths that were simply magnificent,” McDowell stated. “When you walked into the show, you didn’t know where to start. For an automotive repair professional, it was like being a kid in a candy store.”
NORTHEAST 2014 brought in over 4,000 attendees from 44 states and seven countries during the three-day weekend. Records were set for number of industry attendees, vendors and booth space sold. “This is just the beginning,” McDowell added. “Wait until you see what we have in store for next year!”
NORTHEAST 2015 is scheduled for March 20, 21 and 22, 2015. For more information on NORTHEAST 2014, visit www.aaspnjnortheast.com, the NORTHEAST Automotive Services Show on Facebook, the NORTHEAST Automotive Services Show YouTube page (www.youtube.com/user/AASPNJNORTHEAST) or on Twitter @AASPNJNORTHEAST / #NORTHEAST2014. For more information on AASP/NJ, please visit www.aaspnj.org.
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